Funeral Party, 'Golden Age of Knowhere' (RCA)

Crossing the garage rock of early Strokes with the dance rock of Franz Ferdinand a decade too late, this suburban Los Angeles trio makes a tired idea sound viable by sheer force of postadolescent will. Having a former Beastie Boys studio drummer (Alfredo Ortiz) with a fire under his butt certainly helps, as does a producer (Lars Stalfors) with the Mars Volta's latest album on his résumé, but beyond the obligatory hissing high-hats and angular guitar riffs lies an unmistakable facility for balls-out arena anthems.